Bye Bye Honda (Part One)
Bye Bye Honda is the twenty-first episode of Season Four of American dankumentary Mt. Ararat. Like many previous episodes, it deals with the living situation of Zack Mullen after dropping out of school. Bye Bye Honda marks the first appearances of both The Compensation Mobile and Cyrus Warren. Plot In the Cold Open, we see Bronwyn playing disc gold outside Mt. Ararat Middle School, being filmed by an unknown cameraman. This cameraman is quickly revealed to be Cyrus Warren, appearing for the first time. We cut to an interview of the two of them, in which they both seem at a loss for what to say. Finally, Cyrus kisses Bronwyn, revealing that the two are more than friends. The episode begins with Nathaniel explaining how he had finally gotten annoyed with sharing a car with his father, and bought one of his own: a blue 2001 Ford Mustang. After school, Nathaniel picks up Mullen in the Mustang and they, in turn, pick up Hudson. Nathaniel reveals that he was being messaged on Facebook by Elliot Mullen, who explained how Zack had gotten kicked out again. Zack reacts nonchalantly to this, revealing that it was the third time he's been kicked out of his house. He also mentions his plans to go down to Florida in a week or so. Back at the middle school, Bronwyn and Cyrus continue playing disc golf. They explain to the cameras that they have been dating for over a month, resulting from Cyrus's asking her to dinner on Valentine's Day. In the Mustang, Nathaniel laments not having anything to do in their area, remarking that TV shows about teenagers "can never be realistic, cause we don't actually do shit." Mullen nonchalantly reveals that he's picked up smoking cigarettes, to which Nathaniel points out that he was allowed to smoke in the Mustang, an option that was never available in his father's Honda. The three of them make their way to Portland and park at the Maine Mall, right next to a bright yellow Mustang. Mullen begins comparing the two cars, and Hudson dubs Nathaniel's Mustang "The Compensation Mobile." Back in Topsham, Bronwyn attempts to do gymnastics on a local playground. Cyrus — as the cameraman — is impressed at her flexibility, remarking that "I couldn't do that." Hudson, Zack, and Nathaniel enter Newbury Comics in the Maine Mall, where Nathaniel tells the camera about a very specific Mullenism that occurred offscreen on Boxing Day. We then cut to outside the Mall, where Nathaniel tells the camera about his idea to go on a "Knight's quest" to find the last remaining bookstore, "the legendary Books A Million." It turns out that BAM is just across the parking lot, and the four of them enter the building and begin searching for any books written by Nathaniel's father. (At this point, Basement Nathaniel makes an appearance and apologizes for the blurriness of the footage. He says that it is due to none of them being experienced in using a DSLR.) Mullen ends up in the "Faith-based living books" section, and Nathaniel remarks how, three years ago, he had been the crazy Christian one and Mullen had rejected spirituality, but now the tables had turned. Outside the bookstore, Nathaniel (as the cameraman) asks both Hudson and Mullen what they think about Bronwyn and Cyrus's relationship. Hudson replies with "No comment," and Mullen makes a joke about safe sex. Off-camera, we later see, Mullen accidentally referred to Cyrus as "Siri," prompting hilarious laughter from Hudson. The episode ends with a "to be continued" screen. In the series Bye Bye Honda (Part One) marks the first appearance of Cyrus Warren, as well as that of The Compensation Mobile. It is also the first episode in which the word "Mullenism" is used. In the Maine Mall, Nathaniel references Boxing Day. During an interview, Mullen refers to the second time he got kicked out of his house, using the excuse "Nathaniel couldn't drive anyways." This is the same story he told Meghan and Sharley in Zack's Dropping Out. The titles is a reference to the stage musical Bye Bye Birdie, and references the fact that The Honda is no longer necessary, as Nathaniel has his own car now. The following episode — Bye Bye Honda (Part Two) — continues the storyline of Mullen, Hudson, and Nathaniel walking around Portland, as well as that of Bronwyn and Cyrus exploring their relationship.